Mood Disorders Research Program and Clinic: Self-Rating Test

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Depression Self-Rating Test

Nearly 20 million Americans experience depression¹, but many will never seek treatment. The Depression Self-Rating Test is a simple, 16-question quiz that can help you identify the common symptoms of depression and their severity. Remember, depression is more than just feeling down: it is a real medical condition that can be effectively treated.

Instructions: Select the one response to each item that best describes you for the past seven days. All items must be responded to. After you have answered all the items, click the Calculate Score button to determine your depression score. Information below the form will help you understand your score and recommend follow-up actions for you to consider.

Online Depression Self-Rating Test

1.	Falling asleep:
	0	I never take longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep.
	1	I take at least 30 minutes to fall asleep, less than half the time.
	2	I take at least 30 minutes to fall asleep, more than half the time.
	3	I take more than 60 minutes to fall asleep, more than half the time.

2.	Sleep during the night:
	0	I do not wake up at night.
	1	I have a restless, light sleep with a few brief awakenings each night.
	2	I wake up at least once a night, but I go back to sleep easily.
	3	I awaken more than once a night and stay away for 20 minutes or more, more than half the time.

3.	Wake up too early:
	0	Most of the time, I awaken no more than 30 minutes before I need to get up.
	1	More than half the time, I awaken more than 30 minutes before I need to get up.
	2	I almost always awaken at least on hour or so before I need to, but I go back to sleep eventually.
	3	I awaken at least on hour before I need to, and can't go back to sleep.

4.	Sleeping too much:
	0	I sleep no longer than 7-8 hours/night, without napping during the day.
	1	I sleep no longer than 10 hours in a 24-hour period including naps.
	2	I sleep no longer than 12 hours in a 24-hour period including naps.
	3	I sleep longer than 12 hours in a 24-hour period including naps.

5.	Feeling sad:
	0	I do not feel sad.
	1	I feel sad less than half the time.
	2	I feel sad more than half the time.
	3	I feel sad nearly all of the time.

6.	Decreased appetite:
	0	There is no change in my usual appetite.
	1	I eat somewhat less often or lesser amounts of food than usual.
	2	I eat much less than usual and only wiht personal effort.
	3	I rarely eat within a 2-hour period, and only with extreme personal effort or when others persuade me to eat.

7.	Increased appetite:
	0	There is no change from my usual appetite.
	1	I feel a need to eat more frequently than usual.
	2	I regularly eat more often and/or greater amounts of food than usual.
	3	I feel driven to overeat both at mealtime and between meals.

8.	Decreased weight (within the last two weeks)
	0	I have not had a change in my weight.
	1	I feel as if I've had a slight weight loss.
	2	I have lost 2 pounds or more.
	3	I have lost 5 pounds or more.

9.	Increased weight (within the last two weeks):
	0	I have not had a change in my weight.
	1	I feel as if I've had a slight weight gain.
	2	I have gained 2 pounds or more.
	3	I have gained 5 pounds or more.

10.	Concentration/Decision making:
	0	There is no change in my usualy capacity to concentrate or make decisions.
	1	I occasionally feel indecisive or find that my attention wanders.
	2	Most of the time, I strugle to focus my attention or to make decisions.
	3	I cannot concentrate well enough to read or cannot make even minor decisions.

11.	View of myself:
	0	I see myself as equally worthwhile and deserving as other people.
	1	I am more self-blaming than usual.
	2	I largely believe that I cause problems for others.
	3	I think almost constantly about major and minor defects in myself.

12.	Life is not worth living:
	0	Life is worth living.
	1	I feel that life is empty or wonder if it's worth living occasionally.
	2	I feel that life is empty or wonder if it's worth living often.
	3	I feel that life is empty or wonder if it's worth living all the time.

13.	General interest:
	0	There is no change from usual in how interested I am in other people or activities.
	1	I notice that I am less interested in people or activities.
	2	I find I have interest in only one or two of my formerly pursued activities.
	3	I have virtually no interest in formerly pursued activities.

14.	Energy level:
	0	There is no change in my usual level of energy.
	1	I get tired more easily than usual.
	2	I have to make a big effort to start or finish my usual daily activities (for example: shopping, homework, cooking, or going to work).
	3	I really cannot carry out most of my usual daily activities because I just don't have the energy.

15.	Feeling slowed down:
	0	I think, speak, and move at my usual rate of speed.
	1	I find that my thinking is slowed down or my voice sounds dull or flat.
	2	It takes me several seconds to respond to most questions, and I'm sure my thinking is slowed.
	3	I am often unable to respond to questions without extreme effort.

16.	Feeling restless:
	0	I do not feel restless.
	1	I'm often fidgety, wringing my hands, or need to shift how I am sitting.
	2	I have impulses to move about and am quite restless.
	3	At times, I am unable to stay seated and need to pace around.

Understanding your Depression Score

The score on theDepression Self-Rating Test ranges from 0 to 27 and breaks down according to the following criteria:

Normal
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Very Severe

0-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21+

If your depression score is 9 or greater, you may qualify to participate in one of the current studies being conducted at the Mood Disorders Research Program and Clinic. If you'd like to participate in a research study or clinical trial, go to the Contact Us page and fill out the Contact Request form or call us at 1-214-648-5249. Read Participating in a Clinical Trial for more information on what to expect as a participant in a clinical trial.

Reminder:
Keep in mind that your depression rating does not represent a formal diagnosis of depression. Instead, your rating indicates that you have some of the common symptoms associated with depression and, therefore, may have the illness. If you have answered all the questions as honestly as possible and you feel that the results of the test are accurate, you should consult a health care professional to obtain a formal diagnosis of depression if so indicated.

Note: The above cutoff points are based largely on clinical judgment rather than on empirical data.

Copyright 2000. A. John Rush, M.D. Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (Self-Report) (QIDS-SR). Used with permission.

*References*
	1.	National Institute of Mental Health website. Depression Research at the National Institute of Mental Health Fact Sheet. Accessed November 28, 2002.